Beer: Reviews & Ratings

Enjoyed at the Arizona Society of Homebrewers Oktoberfest, poured into a shaker pint. This is Papago's Red Menace blended with guarillo and green chilies.

Deep mahogany and almost opaque, though some amber highlights come through. The head is full of giant bubbles that are nonetheless retentive. Silky, thin top layer.

In the nose: peppers galore, like the juice of a jalapeno. Caramel and floral hops round it out.

Great balance. There’s an obvious pepper flavor, but it's not overpowering and in fact blends perfectly with the citric pith and floral hop bitterness. Caramel and toast add the perfect amount of sweetness, and pepper heat is mild. Great stuff, especially considering the hard-to-balance style.

Moderate, prickly carb in a pretty mouth-filling, medium body. Nice smoothness. Heat is mild, and I wouldn’t be able to tell if there was alcohol here if I tried.